Brilliant Earth — Local services in Bethesda

I had an AWFUL experience with getting a refund for a wedding band. It’s very unfortunate because 1) their products seem to be very well-crafted and professionally packaged, and 2) our first appointment at the Bethesda location was helpful and our salesperson was incredibly nice and knowledgeable. But after that first appointment, things quickly went downhill.

On 8/28/22, I ordered a men’s meteorite wedding band in a size 8 and received it in a quick 4 days. The ring was delivered to my residence, so I put it on right away but noticed that it was somehow too small. This was very strange because I was sized at Brilliant Earth, and I had been to multiple other jewelers shopping for a wedding band prior and had confirmed on these occasions that I am a size 8. I took the ring to a local jeweler because I am not local to BE to confirm the ring’s size and my finger size—the ring was actually between 7 ½-7 ¾. I set another appointment at Bethesda BE to order an 8.5 since this ring does not come in quarter sizes or can get re-sized. I decided to size up rather than order another size 8 in case we had the same issue with the second ring. I dropped off my ring on 9/4/22 to the store and had them order an 8.5, I was told that it would take anywhere between 2-4 weeks. Great, no problem, I am getting married on 10/16 and that should give them plenty of time. Between 9/4 – 10/6, I was periodically checking the status of my order on my account. The delivery date was pushed back 3 TIMES: it started with 10/5, then 10/10, then 10/15, and finally 10/17. I wouldn’t have minded the wait, except that I was getting married on 10/16. I emailed customer service again saying that this is way longer than what I was told. 10/17 would have been 6 weeks from the start of the process and a day after my wedding. At this point, I wanted to cancel my order since I wouldn’t have been able to use it during my wedding anyway. I received an email from Barbara Perrey on 10/10 saying that they will expedite the order to get it delivered to me on 10/15. Fine, whatever, that’s definitely cutting it close, but we would still get it before the wedding. So now we’re at my wedding date of 10/16 and still no ring. I am so glad that I had a temporary silicone ring to use instead of counting on Brilliant Earth. I emailed them on 10/18 saying thanks, but no thanks, and told them to cancel the order and process my refund. They emailed me back saying that they reached out to “senior leaders” to get approval to process the refund. On 10/23 (it took 5 days to get this approval), they emailed saying that it’s been approved.

Between 10/23 till now, I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY REFUND. I am now at 3 WEEKS AND STILL COUNTING with no refund. The way I see it, they have stolen my money at this point. I have no product, Brilliant Earth has close to $1,200 of my money, and no one from customer service is able to tell me why this has not been processed yet. Please also keep in mind that through this entire time, I have been emailing, calling, and chatting with representatives to ask for updates and no one has been able to help.

I’ve never experienced such a delayed process with receiving a refund from any company, it’s absurd to think that it takes more than a week to get someone’s refund processed (especially since I returned my original ring directly to a store and handed it to a representative, I did not ship it back myself). I sincerely hope no one will ever go through what I went through, and I will NEVER recommend this company to anyone, ever. As I am sending in this review, it’s now 11/9 and I still have no refund. If we reach the beginning of next week, I think my next option is to file for legal action.

Also – I welcome anyone from Brilliant Earth to challenge ANY of the information that was provided here in my review. This is 100% exactly how and when it all occurred. If anyone from the company disputes any information, then shame on...

If you're looking for a jeweler who not only delivers exceptional service but also makes the entire experience fun and memorable, then Kayla is the one to see!

From the moment we walked in, she greeted us with warmth and enthusiasm, making us feel comfortable right away. It’s rare to find someone who is both knowledgeable and engaging, but Kayla somehow balances both effortlessly. She took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for in an engagement ring and offered personalized suggestions that really showed how much she cared about making this experience special.

Her humor and lightheartedness made the whole process enjoyable, which, let’s face it, can sometimes feel a little overwhelming! She was always upbeat, cracking jokes, and keeping the vibe relaxed. At no point did we feel rushed or pressured—she truly made sure we were happy with every detail, from the design to the fit to the final stone.

Kayla’s attention to detail was impeccable, and her knowledge of gemstones, settings, and styles was second to none. She didn’t just push a generic ring on us—she tailored everything to our preferences and budget. She was also super interactive, giving us insights into the different qualities of diamonds and guiding us through the pros and cons of each option, all while keeping things fun and informative.

If you want a jeweler who goes above and beyond to make the process of choosing an engagement ring as enjoyable as it is exciting, I can’t recommend Kayla enough. She made a once-in-a-lifetime purchase feel like a breeze. Thank you, Kayla, for making this experience...

I was searching online for a jeweler that ethically sourced their material and had unique designs for engagement rings. That’s when I discovered Brilliant Earth and a huge plus to find that they had a brick and mortar nearby. The first time I went they were closing up early due to a staffing shortage and weren’t able to assist me. They also informed me that I needed to make an appointment. Though I understood the situation, I left feeling some type of way but reluctantly scheduled an appointment for a later date. During my next visit (while waiting to be seen) I was reading some of the recent negative reviews and began to worry that I was making a mistake. Then Emely walked in, greeted me, and lead me to the back room to discuss some rings. She was very friendly, patient (I had many questions), knowledgeable, and reassuring. I felt like she was straightforward with me. I ended up getting an engagement set that I couldn’t be happier with. The rings are stunning and very well made. Even the ring box is top notch. More importantly, my fiancé absolutely loves her new ring and shows it off any chance she gets. It was a bit of a rough start but the team at Brilliant Earth was great and their products are worth showing off....